Riddle Me This
by QueenOfYourHearts3
Summary: As a little girl Mae had many friends; however, no one else could see her friends. And they only used to come in the dark hours of the night. Her mother was worried for her daughter's sanity, so she got her prescribed to a medicine that made her dear friends disappear. Years later, she no longer takes the medicine, and one of her friends comes to ask for her help. Enjoy.
1. Chapter 1

_Mad, mad, mad as a Hatter._

 _Bad, bad, bad little girl._

 _Off to the closet, the shed, with you._

 _Bad little girl,_

 _Mad little girl._

The woman shot up in her bed, sweat glistening on her forehead. She looked out the window with her panicked blue eyes. It was not yet morning and, if she had to guess, it was probably somewhere around 3:30 in the morning. Her gaze, much calmer now, drifted towards her clock. Yep, 3:30 on the dot.

The woman sighed and swung her legs over the edge of her bed. She stood and made her way to her bathroom, not bothering to turn on her light. She flipped the switch to her bathroom light, but kept her head down. She refused to look at the mirror. She used her long, blonde hair as a shield against her own reflection as she turned the cold water tap on the sink. The running water was the loudest noise in her tiny apartment. She pulled her blonde hair back and up into a rather messy bun, closing her eyes as she did so. She really did not want to look at her reflection, for she knew what lingered there.

She cupped her hands underneath the cool water and let it pool up, spilling over in her hands. She slowly opened her eyes to watch the water, her hand creating a sort of fountain for the liquid. Before her vision could change on her, like it always did, she splashed the water onto her face. The woman did this two to three more times. She rose up, eyes still closed, and felt for the towel next to her sink. She felt the a soft caress of what she thought was fabric glide across her fingers. The woman went to wipe her face off on her towel, but was met with a face full of fur that smelled oddly of fire and flowers all the same.

"You know, it is quite rude to rub your face against someone else's fur." A voice spoke out with a slight purr. The woman kept her eyes closed and sucked in a slow breath, wondering if it was too late (or too early, really) to crack open her bottle of sleeping pills and escape the hallucinations. No, she would be late for work if she did that. She guessed that she would just have to entertain the images until sunrise.

"You're right. I'm sorry, but I thought that you were my towel. Now that I think about it though, you are much too soft to be my towel." She explained, opening her eyes and grabbing her actual towel to pat off the remaining water from her face and neck. She looked towards the floating gray and blue cat in her bathroom. He was smiling widely at her and turned his head slightly.

"Ah, then all is forgiven, dear lady." He mocked a bow and turned to float on his back in the air. "I have not seen you in quite a while, Miss. I can't help but wonder why myself and the others have not been able to visit you." His grin fell and he floated towards my medicine cabinet, opening it with his paw. "Could it be the doing of any of these elixirs, my dear girl?"

The woman shut the cabinet slowly, looking into the cat's glowing turquoise eyes. "I am no longer a little girl." She looked to into the mirror, seeing her own reflection and the cat's next to hers. "And I ran out of the medication that I needed to keep you and the others at bay. They won't fill it anymore. Please, Chessur, tell me that you are the only one here." She sighed, a weariness making itself evident in her composure.

"What a shame." Chessur said, examining his claws. "I am the only one, for now. But our dear friends would want to come see you after I have gone back to Underland." He grinned. "Especially our dear old Mad Hatter. He does miss visiting you terribly." Chessur's knowing eyes drifted to the woman, watching her reaction.

The woman tensed visibly at the mention of the hat-making man. She could feel her heart pinch inside of her chest, like someone was sticking a pin in the very center of it. She remembered the look on his face all those years ago when she told him that her mother had gotten her some medicine to make her a little more sane. "But where's the fun in that." She muttered to herself the words that he had said to her. The woman walked out of her bathroom, turning off the light as she passed it. Moonlight shone in her room to illuminate it just a tad.

"Ah, so you do remember us." Chessur floated over to the woman. His grin turned into a small frown as her landed on her coffee table. "You must come back to Underland with me. Where is the mirror?" He asked, looking around for the item of topic.

"It's in the nightstand…" She trailed off slightly. "Chessur, I can't go to Underland. I am not allowed. You told me yourself." The woman's voice was a whisper, but sounded like a desperate cry in the silence of her apartment.

"The White Queen and Underland need you now, Mae." The Chessur pounced off of the coffee table and padded over to the nightstand. "Now, come." He said, slightly demanding.

Mae felt a small hope fill her, but then it fell all over again. "Why is she raising the banishment?" She wondered aloud, hanging her head and reaching a hand up to touch the heart pendent that was hung on her neck.

Chessur disappeared in a mist and then reappeared in her line of vision. "Because you are not foretold to be the Red Queen of old. You are not your past life, Mae. It has been decided that you will be an ally to the White Queen's kingdom; however, for that to be, you must come to Underland and rule the Castle of Hearts." Chessur held a small hand mirror in his paw, holding it out to her.

"Will Hightopp be mad?" She asked, taking the mirror from the cat. Chessur's grin blossomed over his face.

"When is he not, dear girl?" His comment made her laugh. The first time that she laughed had laughed in months.

"I see that you still answer my questions with questions of your own." Mae laughed, then looked around and then down at herself. "I can't go to Underland looking like this. Let me change quickly. Will I need to pack anything to bring with me?" Mae walked around her room, gathering clothes to change into. Which really was just a pair of jeans and a long-sleeve t-shirt.

"Only pack what you do not want to leave behind, because you will not be coming back to this world for a very very long time." Chessur stated, shaking his head.

I looked around my apartment, making a mental list. "Alright, one moment, please." Mae went into her bathroom and changed, walking back out within a few minutes.

Mae only packed a few things in a small suitcase that she had. Her great grandmother's jewelry (a small gold ring with a ruby, and a cross necklace) that she had, her two teddy bears (one old and raggedy looking one, and another plusher one dressed in mismatched clothing and a hat upon his head), a pillow that a dear friend had given her in high school, and several pictures of her long gone family.

"I'm ready now Chessur." Mae said as she held the small duffel bag in her hands.

The cat gave her his signature grin and held his paw out to her. "M'Lady. After you."

Mae smiled and went to step onto the mirror when a thought struck her. She looked back at Chessur. "Chessur, I almost forgot to bring something." She said, sounding a bit panicked. The cat tilted its head slightly as the girl dropped her bag in front of him and hurried about the room. She went to her closet and pulled something out from the depths of it. "I can't forget him. He's all I've got." Mae smiled sweetly at the object. It was a guitar and not an entirely beautiful one.

Chessur wondered why she would possibly want to keep that old, dingy thing when she could have a much more extravagant one brought to her castle. The instrument was so plain with only a colorful strap to give it any sort of life.

"Oh! Wait one more moment, please, Chessur." She said, skipping back over to the closet where she pulled out two more instruments. One was very short and small and the other was significantly longer with a round body.

"My dear girl, what are those strange things?" Chessur purred with interest. He floated his way over to look at the smaller instrument; it looked as if it was his size.

Mae giggles. "This is a ukulele," she held up the small instrument, "and this is a banjo." She held up the other. "Now, I'm ready to go. I couldn't just leave these here. They're my best friends." She smiled widely, which in turn made Chessur grin as well.

"Ladies first." The feline purred as he gestured towards the mirror with a paw.

"Thank you, Chessur." Mae smiled at him, grabbing her things and stepping on the mirror. She began to fall through the glass. Slowly, slowly. She landed with a soft tap of her foot on the dusty earth.

"Welcome home, sister." The White Queen greeted, smiling warmly at Mae.

"I'm home."


	2. Chapter 2

**Oh dear lord Jesus! I didn't think that people would like this story.**

 **I had planned to update it every month on the 20th, but got a little itsy bitsy sidetracked. I am so sorry!**

 **Thank you all for following and reviewing to my story. Any and all reviews are a-ok with me!**

 **I am going to try and post a chapter each month on the 20th, as I originally planned, and if I don't please feel free to yell at me in the reviews.**

 **Say you'll hold my cat hostage or something! Idk. Anything to get my fanfiction writing butt in gear!**

 **THANKS ALL!**

* * *

For the first time in Mae's life, she saw it snowing in Underland. The vibrantly colored land was covered in a blanket of white and it took Mae quite a long moment to spot the White Queen's figure. _She blends in so much._

"Sister, it is such a joy to see you here once again. I see that fate has treated your head well." The White Queen smiled pleasantly, her hands moving as if she were conducting a soft ballad with each word. Mae giggled slightly, covering her mouth with her hand.

"Yes, I have been told that my head was quite… tragic… in my past life." Mae made a motion with her arms and mouthed the world ginormous. This action made the Queen stifle a laugh. Mae felt a shiver rack her. "I do wish that a certain feline had told me of the snow before I came. It is quite chilly out." Mae shot a playful glare at Chessur. He, in turn, just grinned and disappeared. Mae shook her head.

"Ah, do come inside the palace, sister. We have warm clothes and a place for you to stay while we renovate the Red Kingdom to suit your… current self." She smiled gently at Mae, as if to tell her that she meant no offence. _None taken_ , thought Mae as she followed her sister.

"You mean my non-murdery self." Mae sighed, looking around at the trees. "The trees look chilled to the core, why not give them scarves?" Mae wondered off to lay a palm on one of the tree's trunks,

"That is actually a marvelous idea, Mae. I do not know why I did not think of that." The Queen smiled at her warmly. "Until just now we have been telling them warm things in order to try and heat them. I think scarves could work much better, though." Mae was so happy to be praised by Mirana.

"Um, your Majesty." She called out, becoming slightly self conscious. Mirana turned towards her, raising an eyebrow. "Tarrant isn't anywhere near, is he?" Mae looked down at her shoes and scuffed her feet on the path. Mirana smiled sweetly at her and placed a white hand on her shoulder.

"There is no need for such formality with me. We are sisters, Mae." She gave Mae's shoulder a light squeeze. "As for Mr. Hightopp, he is currently leading the renovations on the Red Castle." Mae let out a breath that she didn't know that she'd been holding.

"He doesn't know that it's me, does he?" She smiled sadly at the thought of her friend's eyes when he found out. The betrayal that would appear, then the anger, then the hatred. " _Down with the Bloody Big Head_." She whispered to herself.

Mirana wrapped her arm around Mae's shoulder sympathetically. "He does not know, but he will not be angry or cruel towards you, my sister. You are not the other, and you will never be." She patted Mae's arm lightly. "Now, let us get you inside and into some warmer clothes. Would you prefer anything in particular to be dressed in? My staff is capable of most anything." Mirana smiled brightly at Mae as they made their way inside.

"I do have a bit of a request, if you believe that they could manage it." Mae smiled at her sister. It felt weird to call her that, but that is what they were, right? Sisters? Allies?

* * *

Tarrant mumbled to himself as he watched over the renovations of the Red Castle. They were currently draining the moat of all the blood and heads that Iracebeth had thrown in there. "The blasted Bloody Big Head." He growled under his breath, his eyes beginning to turn a hateful red color. His hands were clenched in fists that were shaking with his rage.

"Ah, Hatter. Nice to see you so… energetic." The Cheshire's grin widened in the air and his body soon became visible. Tarrant calmed himself quickly. "Could you be anxious to see who our new Red Queen is?" Chessur said, examining his claws and then looking to the Hatter.

Tarrant let out a low growl and his anger flared once more. "Chessur, I am loyal to our Queen, but this is absolutely absurd. She banished the Bloody Big Head for a reason. I will not accept any reincarnation of her. They will all be the same as her. A heart that evil can never change, not even in another life." He was panting slightly from his outburst. His eyes cooled down and he stood straight, fixing his hat. "But that is just my opinion on the matter. To what do I owe this visit, my friend?"

Chessur chuckled as he looked out to the workers. "Aside from the Red Queen matter… One of our dear friends is in Underland."

"Alice?" The Hatter asked hopefully, his clothing taking on lighter hues. Chessur shook his head. Tarrant's clothes dimmed again. "Then who?"

Chessur slowly began to disappear, only his grin remaining as the name slipped past his pearly white teeth.

"Mae."

An image of a blonde-haired and blue-eyed young girl flashed through the Hatter's mind. A grin slowly forming on his pale face. "Ah, Chessur. I never thought that you could have brought me such glorious news." With that he turned to make his way to Marmoreal, telling the workers that their work was done for the day. He had a skip in his step as he made his way to his home. Glad that he was finally able to meet his old friend again.


	3. Chapter 3

"Sister, you said that your designers could make most anything?" Mae inquired as she and Mirana made their way down one of many halls in the white marble palace. Mae felt the urge to squint. All of this bright white color was too much for her. She much preferred the darker hues.

Mirana turned and smiled at her. "I knew you wouldn't be able to pass up the offer." There was a gleam in the ethereal queen's eyes. "I will take you to the seamstress. They will size you and take any request that you may have. I have no doubt in my mind that they will make you a wardrobe fitting of a Red Queen." Mirana turned back around and kept walking.

The last two words seemed to echo in Mae's head. She felt like the words bounced off of the walls and on throughout the castle. She felt like everyone knew. Everyone knew. And everyone hated. No one liked the Red Queen. No one would ever like, or love, the Queen of Hearts. Ironic, really.

Mae began to panic. Her hands shook as she desperately reached for pills that weren't there. Tears started to build up as she began clawing at her clothes. She felt restricted. She felt like she needed to get out of her skin. Her hand came up to her forearm and she started to scratch furiously. She needed out of her skin. She needed out. SHE NEEDS OUT NOW.

Then everything went quiet… She felt a soften brushing up against her leg and heard a low whimpering. Upon looking down, she realized that there was a small Husky rubbing it's fluffy little head against her calf. The small thing looked up at her, sat on it's haunches and barked.

Mae tilted her head to the side, trying to decipher where the small fluff came from. She slowly bent down and picked the actual ball of fur up. The husky barked at her and gave her a very wet, slobbery lick to the cheek.

She couldn't help but to smile.

"It is Mae!" She heard someone exclaim behind her.

Everything seemed to slow down in that moment.

The poor husky noticed her concern and turned a wary eye up towards her. Mae's arms brought the animal closer to her chest as she slowly turned around.

"Oh, Mae! How I never thought this day would come!" Was all she heard as arms wrapped around her in a tight (not enough to squish the pup) hug. The glimpse she saw of the man now hugging her made her want to cry, smile, and scream all at once. Tufts of bright orange hair stuck out from underneath a burned and ornate top hat. Pale skin illuminated with bits of bright makeup, wild lime eyes, and a gap between the teeth.

Her best friend, her brother and father figure. The Mad Hatter. Tarrant Hightopp.

Only a wisp of a plea could be heard by Mae herself, Tarrant, and the pup.

"No…"

* * *

 **I know, I know. Short chapter, terrible person for not updating when I said I would.**

 **A lot has been going on and I'm a lazy sack of sh*t.**

 **I do hope you enjoyed though. I will update as soon as I'm able to.**

 **Please review and let me know what you all think so far. :) 3**


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